Samsung Highlight / Reviews

In an effort to save money, I ordered this phone when I renewed my contract with T-Mobile. I had been using a Blackberry Curve for some time now, but the discounted data plan I got with the phone originally no longer existed, so all the bells and whistles it would cost me nearly $35 in comparison to the $20 I had been paying along with my calling plan and text messaging services. With the Samsung Highlight, access to the web only costs $10 and so does the unlimited texting. With it being a touch phone, I was intrigued by it, so I decided to give it a try. Also financially, I came out of it pretty well.

However, using the Highlight turned out to be more frustrating than anything. First and foremost, texting is a pain in the neck. The phone is not very large; it's a junior version of Samsung's Behold. This particular phone must've been designed with a child's hands in mind because each time I attempt to send a text, I end up tapping a different key. My hands are relatively small, but even with that being a fact, the virtual keyboard didn't leave much room for me to strike the keys I wanted. I never had to go back and delete as many messages before I sent them as I have with this phone, because the texts end up looking like someone just banged on a keyboard indiscriminately if I try to type with my fingers. In order to send a legible message, I have to use a stylus or a pen.

I also dislike how IMs are displayed on the phone. Instead of being threaded messages, they come through as if they are separate emails and plus I had to tap the screen multiple times before I could even view one of them. The camera doesn't have a flash, so pictures come out very dark unless you happen to be outside in sunlight or have lots of lighting indoors.

On the plus side, I haven't had a problem with hearing the person on the other end, and ringtones are pretty audible. You can set the phone to give you repeated notifications for text messages or emails, just in case you might not have heard it the first time. I haven't experienced any dropped calls, either. I don't use the music player; I have an Ipod for that. Web browsing is okay. This phone has many of the functions that most smartphones have, but it also is missing ones that I frequently used with my Curve. The Samsung Highlight is a good choice if you're looking for a cellphone for a child or a preteen, and because a data plan is not necessary for the phone to operate, it's definitely a money saver.

As it stands, chances are I will go back to using my Blackberry in the near future. It has been the best phone I've ever used, so I guess the extra costs really are worth it. The Highlight is not a bad phone - it's just not the phone for me.

Read original review at Amazon.